Flute or similar musical wind instrument



Nlal'; 6, 192.73. 1,447,919

W. BARTHOLOMAE FLUTE 0R SIMILAR MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENT 'Filed Feb.` 9, 1921 Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BARTHOLOMAE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO BAR-ZIM TOY MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FLUTE OR SIMILAR IvIUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENT.

Application filed February 9, 1921.

To all 'LU/om t may concern.'

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM BARTI-ioLo- MAE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Flute or Similar Musical lVind Instrument, ol which the following is a l'ull, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to clarinets and flutes, and its object is to provide a new and improved flute or similar wind instrument arranged to permit of securely attaching the mouthpiece to the tube in a very simple and inexpensive manner and without resorting to soldering as now generali)T practiced.

Another object is `to insure a firm, close fit of the mouthpiece on the players under lip.

Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved flute provided with a metallic mouthpiece;

Figure 2 is a plan View of the same;

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end View of the same;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of' the mouthpiece Figure 6 is a plan view of the blank for forming the mouthpiece;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a modified lorm of the flute provided with a wooden mouthpiece;

Figure 8 is a. side elevation of the same;

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the same; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the wooden mouthpiece or plug.

The tube 10 of the flute or similar musical Wind instrument is of the usual conical shape and is preferably made of metal, and the under side of its rear end is provided with a cut-out portion onto which fits the bottom 11 of a `mouthpiece 12, preferablyT formed of a single piece of sheet metal. The mouth- Serial No. 443,618.

piece 12 is provided with a top member 13 forming with the top of the tube 10 the usual restricted passage 14 for the air from the players mouth. The bottom 11 of the mouthpiece 12 is concave and its rear portion is curved downwardly to provide a firm, close fit of the bottom 11 on the under lip of. the player thus holding the flute against accidental displacement on the under lip. The rear end of the bottom 11 connects by the upwardly extending portion 15 with the top 13, and the forward end of the top 13 terminates in a downwardly extending closing member 16 which closes the tube at this end except for the air passage 14.

The bottom 11 is provided with a continuous flange 20 bent or crimped onto the exterior surface of the tube 10 at the cutout portion thereof to securely hold the mouthpiece in position on the tube without resorting to soldering of the mouthpiece onto the tube, as now generally practiced. In practice, the flange 20 is straight at the sides and after the mouthpiece is placed in position on the tube the straight sides are bent or crimped over onto the sides of the tube 10 at the cut-out portion thus securely locking the mouthpiece in place on the tube 10. It will also be noticed that as the rear portion of the bottom 11 is curved downwardly, as previously explained, the crimped over flanges are prevented from moving forward and hence, the mouthpiece is securely locked in position on the tube 10. It will Yfurther be noticed that in manufacturing the flute or similar musical wind instrument it is only necessary to place the mouthpiece 12 in position in the cut-out end of the tube 10 and bend or crimp the flange 20 over onto the exterior surface of the tube to securely fasten the mouthpiece in place.

In the modified form shown in Figures T, 8, 9 and 10, the tube 30 is provided with a cut-out portion having flattened sides and a flattened bottom against which fit the sides and bottom of a mouthpiece 35 in the form of a plug made of Wood or other material. The top. 36 of the tube 30 at the cut-out portion is contracted to form side shoulders 37 and the restricted air passage 38. The bottom of the mouthpiece 35 is provided with a depending flange 40 fitting against the front edge of the flattened bottom of the tube 30 at the cut-out portion thereof thus limiting the inward movement of' the mouthpiece in the tube 30. ln order to fasten the mouthpiece in place in the tube 30 the sides thereof are provided with dents al embedded in the sides of the mouthpiece 35 to tasten the latter in place..

lt is expressly understood that l do not limit myself particularly to a flute, as the improvement may be used on other Wind instruments such as calliopes, Whistle organ pipes and the like.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. In a flute or similar musical instrument, a tube having a mouthpiece portion contracted at the top to form side shoulders, and a mouthpiece plug fitting into the said tube and abutting against the said shoulders, the said plug having a depending flange at its forward end abutting against the bottom edge of the tube, and means fastening the said plug in place in the tube.

2. In a. iute or similar musical instrument, a tube having a mouthpiece portion contracted at the top forming side shoulders, and a mouthpiece litting into said tube and abutting against said shoulders, said mouthpiece having means for limiting the insertion of the mouthpiece into the tube.

VILLIAM BARTHOLOlVIi-XE. 

